From Rolling to Reading an Analysis of the Adaptation of Narrative Between Role-Playing Games and Novels

From Rolling to Reading An Analysis of the Adaptation of Narrative Between Role-Playing Games and Novels Nikolai Bjädefors Butler 5/17/2018 Lunds universitet Nikolai Bjädefors Butler Masterprogram Litteratur – kultur - medier LIVR07 Handledare Alexander Bareis 2018-05-29 Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................2 Background – What is a Role-Playing Game? .....................................................................4 Purpose and Problem ..........................................................................................................6 Literature ............................................................................................................................8 Method ............................................................................................................................. 10 Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 11 From Rulings to Readings................................................................................................. 11 From Players to Print ........................................................................................................ 19 From Metagaming to Metafiction ..................................................................................... 23 From Page to Table........................................................................................................... 33 Discussion ............................................................................................................................ 40 Table of References .............................................................................................................. 45 1 Introduction Today when one thinks of stories many examples come to mind. Perhaps the word triggers thoughts of exiting and well-written novels, full of rich characters and vivid descriptions. Perhaps it evokes an image of a dramatic and heartfelt climax being projected onto a 50-foot screen at the movies. It could unearth memories of sitting at your grandfather‟s side and listening to him recounting grand tales. For some, however, the word “stories” brings to mind role-playing games, which may raise questions for those unfamiliar with them. The basic premise of role-playing games are fairly well known today, yet to many they are misunderstood, both in no small part thanks to limited exposure through shows like Stranger Things1 and The Big Bang Theory2. Because of this limited exposure those unfamiliar with role-playing games might view them as merely a video game that makes use of dice and make-believe instead of code and rendered graphics. However, others would disagree with this assessment. Junot Diaz for one describes his childhood experiences of role-playing games differently. “Being a bunch of kids of color, in a society that tells us we‟re nothing… [sic] to be able to play heroes… [sic] this was a revolution. None of us had been asked to be protagonists of anything…. [sic] it was profoundly transformative for us.”3 Judging by Diaz‟s experience it would seem that there may be more to role-playing games than one might first assume. At their essence role-playing games are games of cooperative storytelling where a group of people gather with the intent to create and explore a story. The way these stories are created and told is primarily what separates the experience of storytelling in a role-playing game from that of a novel. In a role- playing game you don‟t watch heroes face down insurmountable odds, you are the heroes and it is your choices, actions and agency that determines the outcome of the game. Perhaps the most fundamental difference can be summed up in a single question often asked towards the players: What do you do? Role-playing games do not have a singular author who creates and runs the narrative from point to point; instead the game‟s narrative is constructed organically by the players though a dialogue. Because of this the narrative of a role-playing game is very much the result of a co- narration by all the players and is in many ways a highly performative experience. Diaz describes it as chance to explore and immerse oneself in another place where instead of 1 Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things, Netflix, 2016. 2 Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, The Big Bang Theory, CBS, 2007. 3 Leah Schnelbach, “Dungeons and Dragons was „a Revolution‟ for Junot Diaz”, tor.com, https://www.tor.com/2016/04/28/dungeons-and-dragons-was-a-revolution-for-junot-diaz/, published on 2016-04- 28, retrieved on 2018-02-26. 2 feeling small you can don the role of someone larger than life. Role-playing offers a sense of escapism through immersion and can empower its players by making them the heroes. Despite the narrative and performative differences between role-playing games and novels one can still find many similarities. As is obvious both act as a medium for communicating stories and ideas, and because of this they are both able to influence those that partake. I believe most people can agree that an open and empathetic mind is a well-read one, and role- playing games might similarly be used to explore personal development and new ideas. The transformative aspect of which Diaz mentions comes into play by donning a fictional role and working together with a group of people in order to solve problems ranging from puzzles to moral or ethical dilemmas. By playing the game it seems likely that one can begin to develop both understanding and empathy for others. This in turn is why role-playing games have been shown to be effective tools for both therapeutic aid and rehabilitation. In the American Journal of Psychotherapy Wayne Blackmon presents a case of role-playing games being utilized as a psychotherapeutic treatment.4 By discussing the motivations and feeling of characters within his patient‟s gaming sessions Blackmon found that his patient could begin to articulate emotional content, and that after six months the crutch of the displaced medium was no longer needed.5 In a similar note role-playing games have been used by inmates as both a way to cope with their prison sentences as well as aid their rehabilitation to society, as is presented in the Waypoint documentary Escaping Prison with Dungeons & Dragons: Waypoint Specials.6 The documentary showcases a pair of former inmates who describe how Dungeons & Dragons7 helped them find both escape and comradery both in and outside of prison. For them “it‟s not how you play the game, it‟s why you play the game”.8 While not academic in nature, the documentary does bring to light both the immersive and transformative aspects of role-playing games as a concrete example. Wayne Blackmon‟s case and Waypoint‟s documentary are merely two examples of how role-playing games can have a lasting impact upon its players. Just as one can intuitively understand the influence literature can have upon its readers, it is possible to imagine that role-playing games possess a similar manner of influence. Considering the similarities in narrative focus between both media it could be pertinent to give role-playing games a closer 4 Wayne D. Blackmon, “Dungeons and Dragons: The Use of a Fantasy Game in the Psychotherapeutic Treatment of a Young Adult”, Americal Journal of Psychotherapy, Vol. 48, No. 4, 1994, pp. 624-632. 5 Ibid., p. 626. 6 Waypoint [YouTube Channel], Escaping Prison with Dungeons & Dragons: Waypoint Specials, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9iQEK7w4Rw, published on 2017-07-25, retrieved on 2018-03-02. 7 Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, Dungeons & Dragons [original box set], Wisconsin: TSR Games, 1974. 8 Ibid., 0:32-0:36. 3 examination, especially where the two overlap. Since their conception role-playing games have always had a close relationship to literature. The original role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, in fact originated from miniature wargaming9 through players who wanted to incorporate magic and other fantasy elements found in Tolkien and the sword and sorcery literature into their games.10 The end result became a game where instead of each player battling each other with armies they instead controlled a singular hero and worked together to overcome challenges, not unlike the fellowship of the ring. Today role-playing games have strengthened their literary connections through countless adaptations between both novel to role-playing game, and also novelizations of role-playing games themselves. It is these adaptations in their many incarnations that will serve as the dungeons that this thesis will delve. Background – What is a Role-Playing Game? In order to analyze something it is important to understand how its moving parts interact. While most may have a passing familiarity with role-playing games it could be quite pertinent to provide a more detailed definition of what a role-playing game is and how they are played. Since their conception there has been a general shift in the attitude of what a role-playing game is about. Over time focus has shifted away from its wargaming roots and instead focused more upon narrative and player agency. This narrative focused trend can be seen through the rulebooks of both recent editions of older games as well as in newer role-playing games. In the current edition of Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition) the use of simulational battlemaps and miniatures are considered optional.11 Other games inherently hold the narrative

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